Best retirement--Phoenix, Albuquerque, or Austin?

[DCTalk]

Originally Posted by azsundevil

Personally, I would choose Santa Fe/ALB area. However, as a big supporter of the arts in Phx, I think alot of the myths about Phx lacking in culture are untrue. Our opera, symphony, and ballet companies are outstanding for a new city that isn't steeped in the heritage of the arts as alot of cities back east are. Our art museum is getting better and better. The Heard Museum is phenomenal. There is the new Tempe Center for the Arts and the Mesa Arts Center. Gammage gets all the big name Broadway shows. After over ten years in Phx, I am still trying to figure out a way to dispel the myth that Phx is "cultureless"

You make a valid point. Phoenix is a large metropolitan area and does have its share of cultural activities, but it certainly is not known as a cultural center. When I visit a city, I always try to get a sense of the place and see if it's a place I would like to live. I check the usual things such as climate, cost of living, amenities, etc., but I also want to see if it has a cultural core. For myself, what makes a city more interesting to me is if the cultural core is an essential part of the city. For example, here in the DC area, there are world-class museums and an overflow of cultural activities. As a music buff, there are many venues for music of all kinds, including the famed 9:30 Club (where else can I see acts such as Bryan Ferry, David Sylvian or Kraftwerk?). But despite the many fine musicians in the region, there seems to be no defined music scene. The core of DC is power, money and greed. Politics, not culture, is what this city is all about. Whereas in a place like Austin or Santa Fe, the arts are an essential part of the city's identity. Phoenix, while large, does not seem to have a core to me. It is one vast conglomeration of suburbs. I mentioned Tempe earlier. While Tempe is a suburban community (and a lovely one), it does have a certain energy to it, likely, as noted, because of the university's presence. I don't think the feeling of Gilbert or Chandler is the same, and downtown Phoenix doesn't have the same feel either. In a city as large as Phoenix, if you want it, you can probably find it, but culture is just not present at the fore of what the city is.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by DCTalk

As opposed to a right-wing extremist such as yourself, Steve-O? I think I'll move to your area just to bug ya.

No thats ok, please move to AZ. We've got enough left wing wackos here in IL that are running this state into the ground. And Im hardly an "extremist".

[DCTalk]

And neither am I. Our politics differ greatly is all.

[Bill-]

Originally Posted by DCTalk

You make a valid point. Phoenix is a large metropolitan area and does have its share of cultural activities, but it certainly is not known as a cultural center.

Which is more important, perception and reputation, or reality ? Phoenix often gets the generic "culture" slam, but when asked to cite specific things Phoenix is lacking, I typically hear a great deal of silence. If you need opera, symphony, ballet, music, art galleries etc. you'll find them in Phoenix. If you need a pre-approved, pseudo-intellectual hipster scene, head for Austin.

[DCTalk]

Bill, you have a point, although I don't know what "a pre-approved, pseudo-intellectual, hipster scene" means. Yes, there are all the typical cultural activities in Phoenix that city of its size would have, but no one would come to Phoenix for its culture. Why is that? Not enough pseudo-intellectual hipsters? There doesn't seem to be, although the potential is certainly there, that creative class cultural ferment at the center of Phoenix's lifestyle that certain locales seem to have. Can't explain it. It's just a sense of place that one feels.

[lukeache]

Albuquerque should be your choice based on what you are looking for. I lived in Albuquerque and Phoenix and Albuquerque has much more character. Albuquerque also has a very "strange, mystical" vibe to it which I find fascinating. I lived in Albuquerque for less than an year and I could write a book on all the strange, odd stuff I saw while living there. Phoenix lacks in culture and elements that make it distinct. Albuquerque will keep you amused for many years.

[tfox]

The main disadvantage on New Mexico is jobs (or rather, the lack thereof). Salaries also tend to be very low -- government salaries at Sandia actually look attractive! Public Schools also tend to be mediocre to poor in New Mexico, which is why the private Albuquerque Academy has such a high profile around town. Most towns in New Mexico tend to have a lot of crime in the poorer parts of town.

However, for RETIREMENT, I'm assuming you don't care about jobs or schools so I think Albuquerque becomes an attractive option for you for its beautiful scenery, climate, culture, and food. Property values are pretty cheap there, cheaper than Phoenix, for sure. The crime isn't a factor in the better parts of town, either.